


The A in the Team

by swashbuckling_pen



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Book 3, F/F, friendship to romance, my tumblr drabbles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-04
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-05 07:53:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3111989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swashbuckling_pen/pseuds/swashbuckling_pen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in Book3, Asami gets the screentime she deserves in Team Avatar.</p><p>(In which Korra slowly discovers what Asami means to her. A friendship to romance fic).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Letting off Steam

Korra bellowed an almighty grunt as her left foot swung to a high kick followed by a lightning speed right hook.  
"Ugh! I can’t believe I let the Earth Queen trick me like that!” Korra snarled as she pummeled the punching pads, imagining it was the Queen’s pinchy prune face.

"Whoa, hey! Maybe we should take a break?" Asami lowered her hands encased in punching pads. "You letting off steam is starting to…hurt. A lot." The raven haired girl winced as she took off her gear.

"Oh no. Are you okay?" Without thinking Korra took Asami’s hands and carefully inspected them. She gently ran her thumbs through the soft slopes of Asami’s palms and reddened knuckles.

“It’s alright, Korra.” Asami began to withdraw her hands from Korra’s touch, which was tingly and warm. She didn’t want to worry the stressed out Avatar any further. “I’m fine. Really.”

Korra kept Asami’s hands captive. “Wait, let me just…”  
With a sweeping movement of her hands, arm muscles taut, Korra pulled rivulets of water from a nearby pond.

"Mmm..that feels good," Asami sighed as Korra wove a string of glowing water around her sore hands. It was cool, like mint rolling and kneading the tiniest muscles in her palms.

“You did great out there you know,” Korra murmured. Eyes focused, intent on keeping the water dance around Asami’s hands constant. “If I didn’t have you to fight those thugs with me, Spirits I would’ve lost it and wage war with the Earth Queen.”

“Well that would definitely give you the much needed boost to your dwindling popularity.” Asami gave her friend a wry grin. “And you’re welcome by the way. It’s always nice to be useful to Team Avatar.”

Something in Asami’s tone made Korra look up.

“You are useful, Asami.” Korra insisted.

A thin smile creased Asami’s face. “Yeah, for a non-bender, I’m not too bad. Considering I wasn’t there with the team when you guys fought Unavaatu. And Amon before that.”

The shorter girl suddenly dropped her hands, completely oblivious that the water she was bending was now soaking Asami’s race coat. She launched herself into the heiress’ personal space, their noses inches apart. She clutched the taller woman by the shoulders and gave her a vigorous shake.

“You are an important part of the team, Asami. Bender or not,” Korra peered up into bright jade eyes that widened at her ferocity. “When we were chased by bad guys, you kept your cool in driving us to safety. You come up with ideas we don’t think of, like using an airship so we can find airbenders fast. And not to mention you being a good friend…especially these past few stressful weeks. I mean, I can’t remember being able to talk to anyone so easily… you are almost as good a listener as Naga.”

“Almost?” A hint of Asami’s usual confidence sneaked through her eyes.

Korra let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding as she felt the tension in the other girl’s shoulders ease. “To be second to my animal companion is high praise from an Avatar, Ms Sato.”

“Well, considering you talk a lot with your fists,” Asami said as she rested her own hands lightly on Korra’s bare shoulders. “I consider this recognition as fair. So what do I get from this accolade, sweet Avatar? Any privileges you can bestow upon your second best companion?”

Korra’s face lit up. “I can play fetch with you whenever you want. Give you back rubs and comb your fur… err… hair. And oh! I can take you around the world while kicking ass and constantly facing life-threatening evil.”  
A rich, throaty laugh escaped Asami’s lips. Korra’s sunlit smile and summer sky eyes made all the darkness retreat in her heart. She let her fingers trail down the Avatar’s biceps, feeling the strength underneath soft skin. “You know, as tempting as those privileges are… I’d settle for one thing.”

The younger woman visibly swallowed at the subtler, deeper timbre in Asami’s voice and the distracting caress on her skin. “As long as it’s in my power, it is yours.”  
Asami lowered her lashes, regarding the Avatar with a sly smirk.

“Well first… you need to take care of this,” Asami tugged at the fabric of her race coat which was clinging tightly against her chest. “You made me soaking wet.”


	2. I'll Sleep With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin Beifong orders people to sleep with the Avatar.

Lin Beifong isn’t someone you tangle words with lightly. She pulled her shoulders back, stood with the posture of a skyscraper, eyes glinted like the element she bended.

"My decision is final. You will have a guard stationed in your room every night until such time those four criminals are back to their cells."

Korra scowled at Lin’s pronouncement. Her nostrils flared, not unlike a bull rearing to ram her opponent. “I will not have a guard in my room! Su said Zaofu is on a lock down. And Naga will wake me at the faintest sound or scent of danger. She’s the only guard I need!”

Both women stamped their foot forward like earthbenders prepared to strike. Lin gritted her teeth. Korra’s hands crushed into fists.

Bolin and Mako furrowed their brows and looked sideways at Tenzin. The airbending master sighed and was about to step in the middle of the fray when a soft, clear voice halted his movements.

"I’ll do it. I’ll sleep with Korra."

Everyone turned to look at the raven-haired young woman who sauntered fearlessly towards the Chief of Police. “I know the dangers involved and I am prepared to face them.”

“Geez, Asami. Couldn’t you at least pretend to be enthusiastic?” Korra’s voice was all sarcasm, but her lips quirked into the tiniest grin when her eyes met the other girl’s.

“I am fully aware of your ability in hand-to-hand combat, Ms Sato. But Zaheer isn’t your ordinary criminal.” Lin rested a hand on her hip and bore her eyes into Asami’s bright greens. “This man and his comrades almost got my mother and Lord Zuko killed. It took them more than a year capture these miscreants. Which, now that I think of it, maybe we need four guards in Korra’s room.”

“Don’t you think that’s excessive, Lin?” Tenzin stood beside Korra. “I believe Su assigned guards in every entry and exit point in this city. They won’t be able to escape easily.”

“Well Bolin and I can sleep on Korra’s floor,” Mako offered. “Even if Zaheer manages to slip past security, we will distract and divide them so the guards can pick them off one by one.”

“Wait, no!” Korra fumed. “I don’t want any more people in my room. Though I appreciate the concern, I think with the whole of Zaofu on guard Zaheer will be outnumbered.”

“Well this isn’t a battle of numbers, Avatar. Zaheer is elusive and crafty. If he can escape a high security prison, he can get in here without anyone’s notice.” Lin said, satisfied that the Avatar seemed to be finally listening.

“How about we do this,” Asami said, drawing everyone’s attention with her calm and assured voice. “I’ll work out an alarm system with Varrick. If anything or anyone intrudes into Korra’s room, it will alert us all. Also, I’m currently modifying the Equalist glove into a projectile weapon that can electrically stun targets at least thirty feet away. It’s still a prototype, but it should do the job.”

Lin Biefong raised an eyebrow. Her pursed lips unimpressed. But Korra was looking at Asami like a starved polar bear dog presented with its first treat.

"Okay that settles it. I’m sleeping with Asami and you guys just gotta deal with it." With that, the Avatar stormed out of the room, opening the heavy metal doors with a gust of wind.

Tenzin’s brows sculpted into a craggy line, no doubt forming a lecture of Korra’s misuse of airbending. He stalked after Korra without a word.

"Um…guys…when you say sleep together, you are referring to snoozing on separate beds, right? Or are you doing the sleeping thing on one bed? Or on each other? The specifics need to be-"

"Bolin!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning. For those allergic to fluff, you may want to skip the next chapter.


	3. Don't Fall for Me Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Zaofu, Asami and Korra share a room for the first time.

Korra trudged back into her room when the still night fell at the Metal City. Beads of sweat rolled off the curves of her neck and arms, trapping slivers of moonlight in her bronzed skin. She opened the door and kicked off her boots, tossing it to the far corner of the room with a loud thud.

“Bad day, huh?”

The Avatar looked up to see Asami clad in a rose pink night gown, sitting with legs crossed primly on the pull out bed, several pens and notebooks crowded her lap.

“Oh hey, Asami,” Korra said as she threw herself into her own bed, making the mattress springs groan. “I think there should be a better word for bad. Royally stinky? Bitterly suckerly? Oh I don’t know… nothing could describe the way Lin treated Opal. How come it is so easier to crumble a mountain than getting through that iron lady?”

“Well, we don’t know Lin’s side of the story. Maybe she is still sorting things out for herself.” Asami ran a hand absentmindedly through her slightly damp, newly washed hair. Her eyes went back to the notebook she was perusing. “Family rifts aren’t something that can be mended in one sitting. No matter how much we want to.”

Korra threw a wary glance at her friend, wondering if Asami was still talking about Lin or something else entirely. Should she ask her about her father? Sure, she and Asami had grown close. And they can talk about almost anything… except for that.

The waterbender sighed heavily, having had enough of family drama to deal with in one day. She dropped down on all fours on the floor and started doing push ups.

“I thought you already wore yourself out?” Asami queried as she sketched a diagram on a fresh page of her notebook. “Judging from how sweaty dirty you were when you walked in.”

“Hey, I am not dirty!” Korra grunted, her breath coming out in measured beats as she rhythmically pressed down and lifted herself from the floor. “Working out is my meditation. Be flattered Asami, you will witness the sacred ritual of how Avatar wisdom comes to me.”

“Yes. I can smell your wisdom all the way here.” Asami smirked and glanced over at her friend to make another wisecrack. But the sight of the Avatar extinguished the words in her mouth.

Something about the soft glow of the moon caressing those feminine muscles. About the complete control Korra exuded in every push and pull of her body. How tiny beads of sweat accented her bronze skin and fringed those dark lashes… she never realised Korra had such long lashes.

Asami felt like she was hurled off course while speeding through a sharp curve. She didn’t see this coming. She was always aware of Korra’s raw beauty as a concept. Just like she knew the horsepower of her satocycle, it was a matter of fact.

But there is a difference between knowing…and wanting to grip it and feel the purr of its engine between her legs.

“I can feel your eyes on me, you know.” Korra stopped her movements and turned over, resting her back against the floor. “Don’t lust after me now. I need that level head of yours for when the bad guys come.”

Asami made an affronted snort. “You wish!”

A crumpled paper ball hit Korra squarely between her eyes.

“Hey! That kinda hurt!” Korra threw back the paper ball.

“Serves you right for being the most vain Avatar in history.”

“Vain? Me? You are the one who has never had a strand of hair out of place. Spends hours in the shower.” Korra pointed an accusing finger at Asami’s satin night gown. “And who even looks that elegant when she is about to sleep?”

“This is not vanity. This is called hygiene. Not that you would know the concept.” Asami exaggeratedly wrinkled her nose at Korra.

“Why..you…” Korra launched herself on Asami, straddling the older girl as her hands rumpled the engineer’s offending, perfectly coiffed hair.

“Korra…stop!” Asami raised her arms and swiftly blocked most of Korra’s attack.

“Wasamatter? Ms Prissy can’t handle not being perfect?” Korra smeared the sweat from her forearms against Asami’s shoulders.

“Eww! That’s disgusting!”

This only spurred the Avatar to rub every inch of her sweaty body against the clean, porcelain skin of the older girl.  
“Korra!” Asami squealed.

Korra cackled as Asami wriggled uncomfortably underneath her. She grinned as she viewed her handiwork. The engineer’s newly washed raven locks are now spread out on the bed in wild disarray. Tiny tears of laughter leaked from the corner of Asami’s eyes, making her pools of spring green dance with simple happiness. Her usually painted lips are pink and bare, and curved into the widest grin Korra had ever seen on the older girl’s face.

Korra inhaled this rare sight before her. She decided then and there making Asami smile that unguarded smile will be one of her duties. Not as Avatar, but just as Korra.

Asami noticed the momentary pause in the Avatar’s attack. She grabbed the younger girl’s shoulders and used that as leverage to roll them over. With their positions reversed, Asami pinned both of Korra’s wrists on top of her head. “I am not prissy and I never said I was perfect.”

“No, you are not perfect. You are something else entirely.” Korra murmured. “You can’t stand it if the room is messy. You color code all your clothes. You are a devil when it comes to details…”  
Asami scowled, not sure if the other girl was judging her or…

“But you are beautiful.” Korra continued, her arctic blue eyes soft. “Compassionate. Brave. You could have happily just lived a comfortable life, tucked away in your mansion as Future Industries CEO. But instead, you choose to fight the hard fight with me. And I… I don’t always say it… but I…”

The Avatar swallowed and struggled to put into words what she was feeling.

Asami relinquished her hold on Korra’s hands. She felt the warmth of Korra's breath brushing her face. Her right hand cradled the curve of Korra’s cheek. “Now don’t go falling for me now, Avatar. We need you focused on our mission ahead.”

“You wish.” Korra snorted and flipped them over.  
—-

That night, the two friends slept tangled in each other’s arms. Sleepy smiles tugged at their lips, their bodies curled around each other’s warmth. Oblivious to the evil that lurked just outside their window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still here? Whoop dee doo.  
> :-) Thanks for reading and hope to read any feedback from you.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you guys want to read more. A little feedback/comment does wonders for my Muse.


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